Dr. Odey Hardan Associate

Düsseldorf

Prior to joining Orrick, Odey served as a research assistant to a distinguished chair focusing on European law, where he authored several academic papers. Throughout his doctoral studies, he delved deeply into the intricate realms of European, international, and data protection law.

Additionally, Odey contributed to significant legal opinions and gained practical experience by supporting the representation of the German Federal Government in pivotal cases before the Federal Constitutional Court, including the proceedings on the European Patent Convention, CETA and the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

Before starting his legal practice, he also worked as a research assistant for an international UK-headquartered law firm.

Alexander Witt Senior Associate

London

Alexander has particular experience in investment claims arising out of regulatory changes to renewable energy incentive regimes and the enactment of environmental protection laws. He has represented investors, Latin American and Eastern European States in a variety of claims under domestic and international law, including high-profile and politically sensitive investment treaty cases (often involving issues of corruption).

In addition to his international arbitration experience, Alexander frequently advises clients on financial sanctions and export control issues across a range of sectors including oil & gas, infrastructure, and defence.

He is fluent in Spanish and has a good command of German. Alexander also speaks and writes on international arbitration related subjects.

Lorraine McGowen Partner

New York

Lorraine brings 30+ years of legal experience in bankruptcies, out-of-court restructurings, sovereign debt restructurings and creditors' rights controversies. She interfaces with auditors, government regulators, investment bankers and others, and develops and implements mediation and litigation strategies, and negotiates reorganization plans and complex corporate and finance documents. She also regularly provides commercial law and bankruptcy advice in connection with securitization, M&A, energy & infrastructure and general corporate transactions.

Lorraine has represented various stakeholders in bankruptcies, workouts, distressed debt transactions, sovereign debt restructurings, bankruptcy litigation, derivatives, and distressed acquisition matters such as Suriname, Belize, Puerto Rico, Takata Corporation, Windstream, GTT, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Lehman, MF Global, Indiana Toll Road, Chemtura Corporation, Tronox Incorporated, South Bay Expressway, American Dream School, Detroit, General Motors, and Stone & Webster.

Lorraine is a member of Orrick's Management Committee and is Partner in Charge of its global Inclusion & Belonging Initiatives. She previously served two terms on the firm’s 11-member Board of Directors and also previously chaired its Restructuring Group.

As a leading Inclusion & Belonging advocate, Lorraine creates programs for the legal profession and the community. She was selected as a 2019 Rainmaker by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) and as one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Lawyers for 2022, 2018 and 2015 and received Legal Outreach’s Pipeline to Diversity 2017 Champion Award and the New York City Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion 2012 Champion Award. IFLR1000 Rankings named Lorraine a leading lawyer in the U.S. She was selected by Direct Women to be a 2016 Board Institute member. She is a frequent speaker and author on bankruptcy and insolvency and diversity and inclusion.

Among her community involvement, she is a former Vice President and Board Member of the New York City Bar Association and currently co-chairs the City Bar's Digital Assets Task Force. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession and the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, where she is chair of the board, and on the Advisory Committees for Legal Outreach and the Vance Center for International Justice of the City Bar, where she serves as co-chair of the Advisory Committee of the Vance Center.

Andrew Cook Partner

Washington, D.C.; Seattle

Andy combines his legal expertise in numerous areas of law covered by state Attorneys General, an understanding of how state AG offices operate, and vast knowledge of legal and regulatory issues facing his clients. This substantive and comprehensive legal approach is crucial to effectively representing clients before state Attorneys General.  Andy also has substantial experience drafting and enacting complex civil liability reforms before state legislatures to successfully address client goals.

Andy’s main practice focuses on advising Fortune 500 companies before state Attorneys General in the areas of antitrust, consumer protection, False Claims Act, environmental law, and cybersecurity and data privacy. Andy, in collaboration with a team of attorneys, successfully navigated a client through antitrust regulatory review by state Attorneys General in one of the nation’s largest mergers of two major telecommunication companies. Andy also worked with a team of lawyers representing a large corporation involving the multistate opioids litigation brought by state Attorneys General.

Andy gained valuable experience serving as Deputy Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin where he was the second in command of the 700-plus state agency. In his role as Chief Deputy Attorney General, Andy oversaw the day-to-day operations at the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ); directed the State’s litigation strategy; negotiated, reviewed, and approved all settlements; drafted and reviewed attorney general opinions; managed the agency’s budget; oversaw civil and criminal investigations handled by DOJ; and managed DOJ’s legislative agenda.

Andy played college hockey and remains active by running, cross country skiing, and playing golf. On the weekends, Andy and his wife enjoy watching their kids’ sporting events, including soccer, baseball, gymnastics, and track. In his rare spare time, Andy reads history books.

Rebecca James Managing Associate

London

Rebecca has worked with regulated companies and financial institutions on, among other things, authorisation, outsourcing, systems and controls, payment services, e-money, consumer credit and anti-money laundering regulations. Her clients include retail and wholesale businesses across the financial services sector.

Rebecca has a passion for Fintech and has experience working with clients in the Fintech space. In particular, she has provided advice on crypto assets to e-money platforms, exchanges and firms looking to launch token offerings, including initial coin offerings, security token offerings, initial exchange offerings and NFTs.

Molly McCafferty Senior Associate

San Francisco

Molly has extensive experience in all phases of litigation. She has shepherded witnesses and defendants through all stages of state and federal investigations, government enforcement actions, and civil and criminal trials. She has served a pivotal role in multiple federal jury trials, including arguing motions and formulating effective direct and cross examination strategies. She has defended high-profile clients in the technology and finance sectors in securities class actions, and represents clients in shareholder derivative suits and other shareholder-related disputes.

Molly regularly represents companies and their officers and directors in connection with investigations by the SEC, DOJ, FINRA and other state and federal agencies. She has defended clients in SEC and DOJ enforcement actions. Molly's litigation experience also includes defending against allegations of securities fraud, the False Claims Act, and mail and wire fraud.

Molly's pro bono experience focuses on the assisted reproductive technology space, where she has become a go-to strategic advisor. In addition to representing individuals at all stages of the ART lifecycle, Molly regularly counsels organizations affected by assisted reproductive technology and third-party reproduction. Molly has appeared on The Doctors and in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and New York Magazine commenting on regulation and litigation in the gamete donation industry. Most recently, Molly secured a favorable ruling from the FDA on behalf of her clients.

Prior to joining Orrick, Molly was a Litigation and Enforcement associate in the San Francisco and Washington, D.C., offices of another international law firm. Prior to attending law school, Molly was a pianist and conductor on the national tour of Wicked and worked in the Massachusetts Legislature.

Tobias Stephan Managing Associate

Düsseldorf

Being born a „digital native“, Tobias is fascinated by what technology has to offer. That’s why he chose to advise on how best to implement digitization while staying within the framework of the regulations we need in our society, something that has long become a sales argument customers value.

Tobias helps clients to navigate complex data protection issues and advises on the impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data processing and transfer agreements as well as a wide range of further data and privacy implications.

Prior to joining Orrick, Tobias worked as a research associate in the data protection practice of a multinational pharmaceutical company, in the IT and data protection team of a large German accountancy and business advisory firm, as well as the corporate practice of a "big 4" firm.

Josh Pollick Partner

Santa Monica

Josh represents high-growth technology companies and venture capital firms in many areas, including corporate and securities law, corporate formations, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, secondary offerings and SPAC transactions.

Josh has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA, Legal500, and Super Lawyers for his work representing startups and venture capital funds.

Josh’s company-side representations include Crexi, Dave, Deel, FabFitFun, GlossGenius, Grow Therapy, Retool, Stripe, Volley and Workstream.

In addition to his company-side representations, Josh has represented leading venture capital firms and other strategic investors, including Bonfire, Coatue, Darsana Capital, D1 Capital, Pathbreaker Ventures and Wonder Ventures.

Josh has significant buy-side and sell-side M&A experience, including representing Deel in its acquisitions of CapBase, Legalpad, Roots and Zeitgold.

Joel Othen-Lawson Associate

London

Joel often works on cases with a multijurisdictional focus and has represented clients from across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America in disputes seated around the world.

He has also acted for several professional services firms in connection with cross-border litigation, investigations and regulatory enforcement matters.

Joel also acts for sovereign states in actions brought against them. His practice represents clients in all stages of disputes – from pleadings to trial including advising in relation to alternative dispute resolution methods.

Joel joined the firm as a trainee in 2022.

Raniero D'Aversa Partner

New York

Ron is the designated restructuring counsel to many leading financial institutions such as The Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of America, Citibank, Commerzbank, Toronto-Dominion Bank and The Bank of Nova Scotia. He has represented clients in bankruptcies, workouts, DIP loans, distressed debt transactions, bankruptcy litigation, derivatives and distressed acquisitions. Ron has represented interests of financial institutions and investors in such restructuring and bankruptcy cases as Ocean Rig, Seadrill, CHC Helicopter, Erickson, Indiana Toll Road, Pocahontas Parkway, Eagle Bulk, Spyglass Films, American Airlines, Republic Airlines, Chemtura Corporation, Quebecor, AbitibiBowater, North Las Vegas, Ritchie Risk-Linked Strategies, Star Diamond, Lehman and Mesa Airlines.

In the Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate category of The Legal 500 US directory, Ron’s clients praise his “practical and strategic approach.” Another noted, “Each time I discuss an issue with [him], I am both amazed at his ability to understand my concerns and his complete knowledge of the subject. He puts me at ease and there is never a time that I cannot reach him.” Regarded as a leader in financial restructurings by clients and peers alike, Ron understands every phase of a bankruptcy and restructuring matter and knows how to effectively position a client to control opposition and maximize results.

Jedd Bellman Partner

Washington, D.C.

Jedd's solutions-based methodology allows clients to gather the appropriate intelligence and legal analysis they need so that they can make informed, risk-based decisions as they navigate the ever-changing state licensing and regulatory ecosystem. His collaborative and strategic approach is designed to maximize outcomes whether evaluating the merits of a transaction or responding to a multi-state enforcement action. 

Jedd was the Assistant Commissioner for Non-Depository Supervision in the Office of the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation, where he coordinated the licensing and supervision of approximately 23,000 individuals and business entities covering the mortgage, student loan, consumer finance, sales finance, debt services, credit reporting and money services industries. He also managed the office’s regulatory investigations and enforcement actions, including playing a leadership role in every significant multistate enforcement matter handled by state regulators during his tenure. Additionally, Jedd oversaw numerous successful legislative and regulatory initiatives.

Prior to that, Jedd served as Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. House of Representatives, where he developed policy and legislative agendas in the areas of housing and financial services, small business and minority business.

Jedd also served as Assistant Attorney General for Maryland, where he handled mortgage fraud and payday lending enforcement prosecutions, as well as mortgage compliance, payday lending and money services business investigations.

Following law school, he served as law clerk to Judge John K. Olson of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida.

Mike Sullivan Partner

San Francisco

Some of Mike's clients have included:

• Artyc PBC (refrigerant-free cold storage and shipping; funded by Lowercarbon Capital, True Ventures and SOSV)
  
• AIMotive, Inc. (autonomous vehicle software; funded by Robert Bosch Venture Capital; Tim Draper and others)
• Alta Reality (virtual reality; funded by a16z and others)
• EarnUp (loan optimization platform; funded by Blumburg Capital and SignalFire)
• Earth.AI Inc. (AI-enabled platform for mineral discovery; Y Combinator)
• Earthshot Labs (platform for nature-based carbon sequestration projects; funded by Acorn Pacific Ventures)
• Fountain Therapeutics (discovery and development of treatments for aging-associated diseases; undisclosed investors)
• Goodly Inc. (student loan repayment as an employee benefit; Y Combinator)
• Grabango (checkout-free technology; funded by Propel Venture Partners, Ridge Ventures and Commerce Ventures)
• Hangar One Vodka (acquired by Jose Cuervo)
• JOSH.AI (AI control for the smart homes; undisclosed investors)
• Kloudfuse (AI-enabled unified data observability platform; funded by Blumberg Capital, Newlands and others)
• Matterport (3D scanning solutions; Nasdaq MTTR)
• Mayfield Robotics (home robots)
• Medcorder Inc. (healthcare tech; funded by Future Ventures)
• Movidius (computational image processor chips; funded by DFJ Esprit; Atlantic Bridge and others; sold to Intel)
• Neptune Flood Incorporated (AI-enabled insurtech solutions for flood insurance; funded by Bregal Sagemount and FTV Capital)
• Planet Labs (satellite data company; NYSE: PL)
• Quidnet Energy Inc. (energy storage; funded by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Evok Innovations)
• Radiant Graph (AI platform to drive personalization for healthcare organizations; funded by True Ventures and M13)
• Safehub (earthquake sensors; funded by A/O PropTech, Fusion Fund, Ubiquity Ventures and others)
• Samasource Impact Sourcing (machine learning training; funded by Ridge Ventures and CDPQ)
• SquareTwo (casual games; funded by Walden Ventures and Translink)
• St. George Spirits (spirits company focused on single malt whiskey, bourbon, agricole rum, absinthe, gin, brandies and liqueurs)
• StartOut (LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship accelerator)
• Tempo Interactive (home fitness platform; funded by Softbank, Norwest Ventures, General Catalyst and others)
• TS Conductor (next generation conductor technology; funded by Breakthrough Energy Ventures)
• Unison (proptech; funded by F-Prime and RBC)
• Zeguro Inc. (insuretech - cyberinsurance; funded by Mosaik Partners; Healthy Ventures, Social Capital and others)

Mike also represents a number of venture capital firms, including Blumberg Capital, Evok Innovations,  Griffin Gaming Partners, iGlobe Partners, Illuminate Ventures, Marcy Venture Partners, Ridge Ventures and Walden Venture Capital.